The Hitman and Ramen Girl.

The evening sun painted the sky in warm hues of orange and pink as Hana made her way home, a bag of groceries in each hand. She hummed softly, enjoying the gentle breeze after a productive shopping trip. Today was her rare day off, and she intended to make the most of it—cleaning, cooking something new, and maybe even watching a drama before bed. When she reached her small apartment, she unlocked the door and stepped inside, inhaling the familiar scent of her home.

"Alright, time to clean up!" she said to herself, setting the bags down and tying her hair into a messy bun.

She started with the living room, wiping the coffee table and fluffing the cushions. Then, she moved on to the kitchen, neatly arranging the new ingredients she had bought. Her fridge was now stocked, and she smiled, satisfied. Just as she finished mopping the floor, a soft knock echoed from her door.

Hana blinked. Who could that be?

Wiping her hands on her apron, she walked over and peeked through the peephole—only to freeze.

Ryo?

She quickly unlocked the door and opened it, her heart doing a tiny, unexpected flip.

"Ryo? What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

He stood there, as composed as ever, his black suit slightly ruffled. His dark eyes met hers, and for a moment, he didn't say anything.

"…You weren't at the shop," he finally muttered, as if that was a valid explanation for his sudden visit.

Hana blinked. "Well… yeah. I told you today was my day off."

Ryo shifted slightly, his gaze flickering past her. "You've been busy."

She followed his eyes and realized he was looking at the mop, the cleaned-up room, and the grocery bags still on the counter.

"Yeah, I wanted to do something productive," she said with a small laugh. Then, tilting her head curiously, she asked, "Did you… miss me at the shop?"

Ryo's expression remained unreadable, but she swore she saw a flicker of something in his eyes before he replied, "You talk too much."

Hana pouted. "That's not an answer."

Instead of replying, Ryo suddenly stepped inside, brushing past her.

"H-Hey, wait—"

She barely had time to react before he made himself comfortable, walking toward the couch and sitting down as if he had been there a hundred times before.

Hana crossed her arms, watching him. "So… are you just going to stay here now?"

Ryo leaned back, closing his eyes. "I'm tired."

Her irritation melted instantly. Now that she looked closely, he did look exhausted—his posture was slightly more relaxed than usual, and there was a faint hint of fatigue in his expression.

Her heart softened.

"…Have you eaten yet?" she asked gently.

Ryo opened one eye. "No."

Hana sighed, shaking her head before heading to the kitchen. "You're lucky I just bought fresh ingredients. I'll cook something for you."

As she busied herself preparing a meal, Ryo remained on the couch, watching her quietly. There was something strangely comforting about this—her moving around, humming softly, while he sat there, feeling at peace for the first time in what felt like forever.

After a while, Hana placed a steaming bowl of rice and miso soup on the table. "Here. Simple, but it's good."

Ryo sat up and took the chopsticks she handed him. "Thanks."

Hana smiled as she watched him eat. "You know, I don't mind if you visit, but you could at least tell me next time instead of just showing up unannounced."

Ryo paused briefly before answering. "I didn't plan to come."

"…Then why did you?"

Ryo looked at her, his dark eyes holding something unreadable. "I don't know."

Her breath caught slightly at the way he said it. For a man as composed as Ryo, those three simple words felt incredibly raw.

The room fell into a comfortable silence as he continued eating.

Hana bit her lip, feeling a warmth spread through her chest.

Maybe he didn't have to say it outright. Maybe, just maybe… Ryo being here was his own way of saying that he missed her. And for now, that was enough.